The Q Grader Course

The Q Grader Course

The Q Grader Course is the gold standard in specialty coffee certification, trusted worldwide by producers, roasters, buyers, and quality professionals. Built around rigorous cupping, sensory analysis, and green coffee evaluation, the program sets the benchmark for coffee quality assessment.

Through an intensive, hands-on curriculum, the Q Grader course empowers coffee professionals to evaluate coffee using physical, descriptive, affective, and extrinsic criteria. Successful candidates earn the globally recognized Q Grader license—an internationally respected credential that signals expertise, credibility, and leadership across the entire coffee value chain.

Over six full days, you’ll engage in intensive lectures, hands-on cupping labs, defect identification, triangulation exercises, expressive sensory profiling, market-based affective assessments, and rigorous examinations.

Course Objectives

You Will Learn To:

• Apply the Physical Assessment of green coffee: color, moisture, bean size, and defect identification.
• Execute the Descriptive Assessment: create sensory maps, articulate flavor and aroma profiles, and apply intensity scales.
• Conduct the Affective Assessment: evaluate coffees from varied market perspectives, assessing quality beyond personal preference.
• Integrate Extrinsic/Value Discovery Assessment: explore provenance, producer practices, certifications, and storytelling in value-based evaluation.

Build and calibrate sensory acuity through triangulation challenges, taste drills, and practical exams.

Who Should Attend:

This course is designed for seasoned coffee professionals who already bring experience in cupping, green-bean evaluation, or quality control.

Ideal participants include:

• Roasters
• Green-coffee buyers/importers
• Quality control managers
• Cup competition judges
• Coffee consultants and educators

If you’re newer to sensory or green-bean evaluation, we recommend completing foundational sensory modules or the CVA for Cuppers course before this program.